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Minnesota’s Disability Voters Guide Released

Washington, Oct. 14 – As voters get ready to head to the polls in Minnesota, RespectAbility is releasing its Minnesota Disability Voter Guide for the upcoming presidential election. Democrat Hillary Clinton has completed the #PwDsVote Disability Campaign Questionnaire, but Republican Donald Trump has yet to do so.

The #PwDsVote 2016 Campaign Questionnaire was designed by and for people with disabilities (PwDs) and those who love them to know where candidates stand on key issues. RespectAbility is nonpartisan and does not endorse candidates. The questionnaire is purely for educational purposes as voters go to the polls.

According to a new report from Rutgers University, 35.4 million people with disabilities will be eligible to vote in the November 2016 elections, representing close to one-sixth of the total electorate. That’s an increase of nearly 11 percent since 2008.

Twenty-three candidates for Senate, as well as nine candidates for governor, from both sides of the aisle (19 Democrats, 13 Republicans) also completed the down ballot questionnaire, showing that disability rights is a nonpartisan issue. The responses also are geographically-diverse, coming from states all around the country, as politicians are paying more and more attention to the disability community.

Minnesota Needs to Improve Outcomes for Citizens with DisabilitiesWhile Minnesota has made strides with the leadership of Gov. Dayton, the state can still do better in terms of competitive, integrated employment for people with disabilities. According to census data from 2014, Minnesota ranks sixth in the country in terms of employment rate of people with disabilities. However, only 44.4 percent of peoples with disabilities were employed in 2014.

In order to promote best practices and the inclusion of people with disabilities in state workforce systems, RespectAbility has submitted comments for all 50 state’s drafts of the Unified Plan, which is required under Section 102 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). This new law represents the intersection of hope and history for people with disabilities.

The state plan already does an incredible job addressing issues such as the accessibility of the workforce system, collaborating on pre-employment transition services and building partnerships between workforce boards and vocational rehabilitation. Where further improvements can be made are in those areas where the disability lens is lacking.

These efforts, combined with the continued strategic opportunities offered by WIOA, mean that Minnesota can invest heavily into improving the competitive, integrated employment outcomes for its citizens with disabilities. There remains a staggering 38.5 percentage point gap in the labor force participation rates (LFPR) between people with and without disabilities in Minnesota. This gap will not be closed unless resources are committed to best practices and cost-effective models.

Minnesota’s voters are looking to know where the candidates stand on important disability issues in order to increase opportunities for competitive, integrated employment for people with disabilities and foster a more inclusive society. As such, RespectAbility has actively encouraged politicians to include people with disabilities in their policy agendas. Founded in 2013, RespectAbility is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization working to end stigmas and advance opportunities for people with disabilities.

America has 1.2 million youth with disabilities between the ages of 16 and 20. Each year 300,000 of them age into what should be the workforce, but stigmas and lack of knowledge about the capabilities of people with disabilities means that most do not find employers willing to hire them. Young adults with disabilities in all of these states are hoping to find work. They have high expectations and deserve the opportunity to achieve the American dream. Young people with disabilities may simply need some thoughtful help to transition into the workforce. See data on all 50 states here: State Data.

Fully one-out-of-five Americans have a disability, and 52 percent of likely voters have a loved one with a disability. Only 34 percent of working-age Americans with disabilities have jobs, despite the fact that the vast majority want to work. More than 11 million working age people with disabilities are now living on government benefits in our country.

RespectAbility President Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi said, “Our community is looking for jobs so we can achieve the American dream, just like anyone else. It is vital for us to know where the candidates stand on economic, stigma, education, safety, transportation, housing, healthcare, foreign affairs and other issues.”

Remember to VoteMinnesota residents can vote for the candidates of their choice either through the standard voting schedule or through absentee/early voting. Minnesota residents can register to vote online, by mail or in-person any time, including at your polling place on Election Day, Nov. 8. Minnesota residents also can vote early by going to their county election office anytime before Election Day. You also can vote absentee by mail. For more information: Minnesota Election and Voting Guidelines.